Category: News

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith have long established themselves as the King and Queen of Oversharing when it comes to their sex lives, both as a couple and extra-maritally. It didn’t seem like the two of them could reveal anymore about themselves, but then Will released a new memoir, and he’s reaching a whole new level of putting it all out there.

In a new excerpt from Will, the former Fresh of Prince of Bel-Air star opens up about being cheated on by his first girlfriend and responding to the infidelity by having so much sex that he couldn’t have an orgasm without gagging. Once again, thanks for… sharing? Via Buzzfeed:

“Up until this point in my life, I had only had sex with one woman other than Melanie,” he writes. “But over the next few months, I went full ghetto hyena.” Shockingly, Will reveals that engaging in so much sexual intercourse eventually led to him developing a “psychosomatic reaction” to having an orgasm.

“I had sex with so many women, and it was so constitutionally disagreeable to the core of my being, that I developed a psychosomatic reaction to having an orgasm,” he writes.

“It would literally make me gag and sometimes even vomit,” he adds.

Obviously, Will got over his issues and eventually found Jada. According to his memoir, the two spent four months doing nothing but drinking and, well, each other.

“I was going to satisfy this woman sexually, or I was going to die trying,” Will writes while amazingly not producing an itemized list of every single orgasm. You know he and Jada might have one.

(Via Buzzfeed)

Niantic, the developer behind Pokemon GO, Pikmin Bloom, and the recently shut-down Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, might just be a company you’re going to be hearing a whole lot more from, and it’s not because they’ve got another adorable hit game lined-up. Shortly following Facebook’s rebranding to Meta, Niantic has also announced they are also getting more heavily involved in creating virtual spaces. As a result, the studio has received a $300 million investment from Coature, valuating the company at $9 billion. With this funding, Niantic intends to get to work on a “Real-World Metaverse,” a platform for AR based on a 3D map of the world, according to The Wrap.

However, if all that brings to mind a world of people strapped in VR headsets, rest assured that Niantic CEO and founder John Hanke agrees that that sounds like a “dystopian nightmare.” Rather than using VR, Hanke is focused on implementing AR technology, merging the real world with the digital in hopes of making it more “magical, fun, and informative.”

“We’re building a future where the real world is overlaid with digital creations, entertainment and information, making it more magical, fun and informative,” Hanke said. “This will take a significant investment of talent, technology and imagination, and we’re thrilled that Coatue is on this journey with us.”

Matt Mazzeo, a general partner at investor Coatue, said the company is thrilled to partner with Niantic because they see “this infrastructure supporting a metaverse for the real world and helping to power the next evolution of the internet.” According to Mazzeo, Coatue believes the unique, AR-based on a 3D map of the world Niantic is currently building “will play a critical role in the next transition in computing,” making them more than happy to invest $300 million into the endeavor.

All this news follows Niantic announcing the creation of their new developer’s kit, Lightship, earlier this month. With the creation of Lightship, various partners — such as Coachella, Historic Royal Palaces, Lifull, the PGA of America, Science Museum Group, Shueisha, SoftBank, the artist JR and Superblue, TRIPP, Universal Pictures, and Warner Music Group — will have the ability to use the same AR technology utilized by Niantic to create Pokemon GO to build their own AR experiences. In addition to Lightship, Niantic also unveiled Niantic Ventures, “a $20 million fund to help identify and fund the AR leaders of tomorrow.”

The Recording Academy has officially unveiled their full list of nominations for the 2022 Grammy Awards. Notable musicians like Cardi B, Lil Nas X, and Justin Bieber are up for awards this year, but the ceremony also has categories for non-music albums, like the Best Spoken Word Album category. This year, the Grammy nominations for Best Spoken Word Album means that Dave Chappelle and Barack Obama are officially pitted against each other for the same award.

The 2022 Grammy nominations for Best Spoken World Album includes Dave Chappelle’s 8:46, Barack Obama’s A Promised Land, LeVar Burton’s Aftermath, Don Cheadle’s Carry On: Reflections For A New Generation From John Lewis, and J. Ivy’s Catching Dreams: Live At Fort Knox Chicago.

If Chappelle wins, it would be his fourth straight year picking up a Grammy after winning in the Comedy Album category in 2018, 2019, and 2020. If Obama won the category, it would be the former president’s third time. He previously won a Grammy in the Spoken Word category in 2005 for Dreams From My Father (Senator Barack Obama) and 2007 for The Audacity Of Hope: Thoughts On Reclaiming The American Dream.

Chappelle’s nomination comes from his 2020 Netflix special, which has a title that references the murder of George Floyd by police. But the comedian’s recent 2021 special The Closer has been the source of much controversy since its release. The stand-up features several transphobic punchlines and even led to one trans Netflix employee resigning from the company.

See the full list of 2022 Grammy nominations here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Sure, Forza Horizon 5 might have just come out (and is even free on Xbox Game Pass), but can you really ever have too many fantastic racing games to play? We here at UPROXX Edge certainly don’t think so which is why we decided to dedicate an entire episode of Recon to all of our favorite racing games, from the ones we spent far too much money on at the arcade to good ol’ fashioned Mario Kart.

Smosh cast member and first-time co-host Noah Grossman joins me for this fast and furious episode, and we couldn’t be more excited to kick things into high gear to talk about one of the most exhilarating video game genres around. The conversation begins with us taking a look back at our time spent in arcades playing hit titles like Cruisin’ USA and Crazy Taxi before pivoting to the next adrenaline-pumping chapter in racing game history: when so many of those great games hit home consoles. We dive into Gran Turismo, Need for Speed, and countless others (Twisted Metal, anyone?) and all the other games that made at-home play every bit as fun as shoving quarters into a hulking arcade cabinet.

But what fun are racing games without just a bit of the nonsensical added in there?

Enter the kart racers, furry and family-friendly racing games packed with your favorite characters, colorful courses, and silly support items that can completely change the way a race plays out. From Diddy Kong Racing to Crash Team Racing, many of these are among the first racing games we fell in love with and are still taken by to this day. To wrap things up, we jump into all the racing games that take us off the asphalt, like SSX Tricky and Rider’s Republic, before delving into our favorite segment on Recon: What’s New, What’s Next.

So buckle up, gamers, and let’s drive on into today’s episode of UPROXX Recon. And hey, if this show really gets your engine revving or we forgot your favorite, remember you can always leave a comment below!

In a turn of events that will surprise absolutely no one, the CEO of Cyber Ninjas, the auditing company that Trump used to oversee a recount in Arizona, is now reportedly in debt to the tune of $2 million.

Via VICE, Doug Logan, who’s in charge of the Florida-based company that Arizona’s Republican-controlled Senate picked to head up a recount in Maricopa County, is now claiming the process left him bankrupt. The audit took five months to complete and was heavily supported by voter fraud conspiracy theorists and MAGA followers. Despite Logan’s company having no experience in auditing elections — and no legal authority to challenge the results should they find evidence of a bad count — Republicans initially backed the organization’s efforts, covering the costs of renting the venue for the recount and providing around-the-clock security. Logan was able to raise even more money from Trump supporters who donated nearly $6 million to the effort.

Despite all this, he’s now saying that he’s $2 million in the hole, telling misinformation spreader Nick Moseder that he has no other means of income. Moseder revealed all this on his Telegram channel while saying, “I believe he was anticipating more audits to make up for his losses and kept being reassured, ‘don’t worry about the money, America has your back.’”

He went on to try to garner sympathy for Logan, who just celebrated the birth of his 12th child. “I personally think it’s a tragedy that Doug Logan sacrificed months with his pregnant wife and 11 kids (now 12) to put his business and reputation on the line,” Moseder wrote. “All of that work, risk, and sacrifice to have come out the other side being called a traitor, and to be 2.1 million dollars in debt, with a business whose reputation will forever be branded ‘right-wing conspiracy company.’”

You know what might have saved him a lot of grief? Not operating a right-wing conspiracy company and trying to reverse the results of an already-certified election.

(Via VICE)

The Chicago Bears have lost five straight games after a 3-2 start to the season and, with seven games remaining, the odds of a return to the playoffs seem extremely low in the Windy City. The offense, in particular, has appeared inept during the losing streak and given that is supposedly the area of expertise for head coach Matt Nagy, fans in Chicago are once again calling for a coaching change.

Some form of “Fire Nagy” has become a ubiquitous presence not just at Bears games, but pretty much any sporting event in Chicago — one broke out on Monday night during the Bulls’ blowout loss to the Pacers in the United Center.

One of the unfortunate side effects of being a head coach of an NFL team is that your employment status is constantly under review by every fan and the depth of the impact of someone being fired is not often considered or cared about by fans. Case in point, Nagy’s son plays football at Lake Forest High School in the North Shore suburbs of Chicago and during a game this weekend, the opposing student section of Cary-Grove High School broke out the “Fire Nagy” chants towards Lake Forest.

That resulted in an apology being issued from Cary-Grove, calling on its students to “reflect and correct” their actions.

It is a reminder of the family side of coaching firings, which certainly come with the territory, but it doesn’t make it any easier on a kid who has to hear people calling for his dad to get fired in the middle of his own football game. As for Nagy’s status as coach of the Bears, it seems his tenure likely will be ending soon, with a report claiming he’ll be let go after the Bears play the winless Lions on Thanksgiving regardless of the outcome.

In addition to having a gorgeous voice and some questionable world views, Atlanta R&B revivalist Summer Walker is also pretty well-known for her astonishing collection of tattoos, which range from an ice cream cone on her clavicle to an array of messages and names adorning her neck and face. Her latest addition to that area is turning heads on Twitter, not just because of its placement, but also because of what it says: Her new boyfriend’s name, Larry.

Look, no judgment here but that could potentially get awkward in the future. While we wish Summer well in her relationship, many folks couldn’t help but remember that old superstition about never getting a lover’s name tattooed, lest you break up and have to explain it to people (or get it removed). That effect probably multiplies when that tattoo is anywhere above the neck, where many folks still find body art to be pretty questionable as well despite the phenomenon’s growing prominence in the hip-hop world.

Then, there’s just the fact that the gentleman’s name is Larry. No offense to anyone bearing that appellative, but I can’t be the only one who immediately thinks of The Floaters’ “Float On” — and it looks like fans on Twitter are having a lot of fun with the name too, sending it to the trending topics as only a shared sense of disbelief can. Especially in light of Walker just dropping an album of fed-up anthems (called Still Over It, no less), let’s all hope that this Larry can hold up his end of the relationship, lest her next album features his name as a song title.

Ever since it was announced, Bel-Air has promised a gritty, dramatic take on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air sitcom that rocketed Will Smith to super-stardom, and the new teaser released by Peacock definitely sets the tone. As Smith delivers a spoken word rendition of the Fresh Prince theme, the teaser introduces Jabari Banks who will take on the role of Will in the reboot series.

As the new Will falls backwards into a swimming pool, familiar objects start to float by him. The dice in the mirror from the original series cab, a basketball from his old life playing out by the school, and Will can even be seen sporting the same Jordans worn by Smith in the NBC sitcom. But a new object starts to float by: A crown, which leads the new Will to a throne where he can look at his kingdom because he’s finally there.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Set in modern-day America, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the 90’s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” that leans into the original premise: Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. With a reimagined vision, Bel-Air will dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases that were impossible to fully explore in a 30-minute sitcom format, while still delivering swagger and nods to the original show.

Bel-Air starts streaming on Peacock in 2022.

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got the hotly anticipated new album from Ovlov, another new solo single from Eddie Vedder, and the official low-down on the massive forthcoming double album from Big Thief. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Ovlov – Buds

Ovlov is a band’s band — one of those bands that you might not have heard of at first, but the members of your favorite band probably love. The Connecticut outfit’s latest effort Buds is their first full-length effort since 2018’s Tru, and is comprised of Ian Cohen described for Uproxx as “eight tastefully tattered songs breezing by in less than a half-hour.”

Dan Campbell – Other People’s Lives

The Wonder Years’ Dan Campbell is no stranger to embodying someone else’s life — just listen to his character study project, Aaron West & The Roaring Twenties. But, Other People’s Lives, Campbell’s first proper solo release, is different, telling the stories of real people who commissioned him to write songs for their weddings, or to have as a keepsake. It was an experiment that Campbell began during the height of the pandemic, and resulted in some of his most personal and touching work to date.

Eddie Vedder – “The Haves”

Earlier this year, Eddie Vedder announced Earthling, his sophomore solo album and his first since 2011’s Ukelele Songs. Originally announced without a release date, Vedder has now declared that the album is officially due in February, and dropped a brand new single called “The Haves.” The new track “features a foundation of piano and acoustic guitar and becomes increasingly grandiose as it progresses,” writes Derrick Rossignol for Uproxx.

Big Thief – “Time Escaping”

Big Thief spent five months working on their new album, always on the move between Upstate New York, California’s Topanga Canyon, the Colorado Rockies, and then Tucson, Arizona, to try and evoke different sounds and inspiration. We’ve already heard a handful of previews from the resulting 20-track double album Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, and “Time Escaping” might be the most intriguing, as it “came out of the natural psychedelia of Topanga Canyon,” according to Adrian Spinelli for Uproxx.

Petey – “Perfect Teeth”

Just a few months after releasing his debut album Lean Into Life, Petey decided to tack a new song onto the end. “Perfect Teeth” is a minimal piano and guitar arrangement that seems to fit pretty seamlessly into the album’s overarching themes and sound. “It’s a song about accepting a dissociative state as a new normal and just going with it,” Petey said in a statement.

Talker – “Summerlin”

Talker’s new track “Summerlin” is a classic breakup song. It’s supposedly the fasted song that LA-based artist Celeste Tauchar has ever written, coming together in less than an hour as Tauchar reveled in the constant reminders of the lost relationship. Sonically, “Summerlin” is comprised of nothing more than a hi-fi acoustic guitar and Tauchar’s enveloping vocals, before more layers and soundscapes are added to keep building the world of the song.

Ryan Pollie – “Out Of It”

Ryan Pollie’s new song “Out Of It” is a tribute to a lost era. Described in a statement as “a 1977 E.L.O.-Inspired romp about new love and driving up the Angeles Crest,” the song is built around a piano and string melody as Pollie sings in a falsetto. The video also features Pollie signing next to a puppet, which was similarly “inspired by all the times in the ’70s and ’80s when rock stars would sing a lot with puppets? Like super frequently!”

Career Woman – “Not A Betty”

I’ve really been enjoying the new tracks from Career Woman, and “Not A Betty” might be the best of all of them. The song is about Melody Caudill’s complicated relationship with identity, specifically the term “Betty,” which has been used to describe certain people throughout history (girl next door, female skateboarder, housewife), but still doesn’t feel like it describes Caudill perfectly. Built upon driving percussion and distorted guitars, the song and its story are very hard not to love.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Given that a typical day of being Donald Trump usually includes spewing a ton of bulls**t and acting in an often dangerously unhinged way, it seems like it would take a lot to make the former president flinch. But as Newsweek reports, even Trump—like the rest of us—was horrified when, on November 19, 2020, the world witnessed Rudy Giuliani literally melting right in front of us. “Oh my God, this is just like a freak show,” one White House staffer reportedly said.

In I Alone Can Fix It, a new book by Carol D. Leonnig and Philip Rucker, a White House staffer confided in the authors that the 45th president was taken aback as a seemingly frenzied Rudy carried on for nearly an hour and 40 minutes—about as long as it would take you to watch Reservoir Dogs—about election fraud and the corrupt media, who were fortunately there to capture every dripping moment of History’s Most Bizarre Press Conference, as hair dye poured down his face from his head, like a human oil spill.

The headlines practically wrote themselves for this display of utter insanity, which many people on Team Trump determined to be their last licks at convincing anyone who wasn’t already on the then-president’s side to come over to their way of thinking. According to Newsweek, even Lindsey Graham, who had already begun trying to convince Trump that concession was his best move, thought it prudent to call him and again attempt “to ease Trump toward acceptance of defeat.”

As William M. Arkin wrote for Newsweek:

Trump himself was “unsettled” by the hair dye spectacle and the media mockery, according to Leonnig and Rucker.

From then on, the president subtly shifted to trying to convince his supporters that he still had a number of different pathways to overcome the apparent election loss: that no matter what the “lamestream media” was saying, supporters were right to believe that democracy was in peril and that there were conspiracies all around. As the White House increasingly hollowed, with some leaders quarantining after COVID exposures and others looking for post-administration jobs, President Trump stayed in the Oval Office, working the phones and tweeting, more and more isolated in who he talked to, uninterested in the presidency or in governing.

The last defense, Trump increasingly argued, rested with “the people,” those behind him who now had it on their shoulders to save the nation.

Which was probably much less toxic than whatever was all over Rudy’s shoulders at the end of that presser.

(Via Newsweek)